Select your group type
Centre Facilities at Ford Castle
Food at Ford Castle
Enjoyable mealtimes with nutritious and tasty food.
Accommodation at Ford Castle
Castle Main Building
Castle Main Building
Accommodation Type: Dormitories – Shared Bathroom / Toilets
Guests: Triple bunk-bed rooms sleep 6-24 with en suite or bathroom close by
Leaders: Rooms sleep 1-3, either en suite suite or with nearby bathroom
Castle Courtyard
Castle Courtyard
Guests: Rooms sleep 6-14 with en suite
Leaders: Single rooms with en suite or bathroom close by
Programmes
Activities

Bridge Abseil
New and exclusive to Ford Castle! The ultimate abseil experience! An exhilarating and unique Bridge Abseiling activity from the top of the bridge into the stunning valley below. This is sure to be an experience to remember for everyone! Watch pupils' courage, self-belief and confidence build as they walk backwards off the top, gradually working back towards ground level, suspended only on a rope. Some young people deal with heights more easily than others, but the support and encouragement of the rest of the group is important for each individual’s success and will help strengthen peer relationships.

Challenge Course
The PGL Challenge Course is legendary – it’s a well-loved and popular activity with plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved; it can even get quite competitive sometimes! As your pupils negotiate the various obstacles that lie ahead, it’s an experience that will promote teamwork, lateral thinking, problem solving and decision-making – as well as being physically challenging too.

Hike
Your pupils can discover the natural beauty of the local surroundings around their PGL centre on a hike led by our staff. We’ll organise activities and set tasks to help your pupils get the most from the experience.

River Canoe Voyage
Explore the beautiful River Till by canoe, led by our qualified paddle sport instructors. *Exclusive to Ford Castle

River Raft Challenge
What’s more adventurous than building a raft and testing it on the river? Well that’s what happens on our River Raft Challenge. It’s a great activity that promotes teamwork in your group as they work together to design a successful raft to compete with others. *Exclusive to Ford Castle

Laser Tag
The wide-open landscapes at our adventure centres offer the ultimate backdrop to a team laser tag battle. Working in teams, your group will head off equipped with their own laser gun and vest. They'll develop team tactics, communication skills, and a steady hand as they duel to come out the triumphant team!
Explore other locations nearby

Lancashire – Winmarleigh Hall
Winmarleigh Hall is a 19th Century country house set in 50 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland with a large, purpose-built lake. Close to the historic city of Lancaster and the Forest of Bowland, this centre is crammed with activites and things to do.
Explore Winmarleigh Hall
North Yorkshire – Newby Wiske Hall
Newby by name, Newby by nature! Previously a police training centre, this historic 17th century country house opened its doors as a PGL activity centre in 2023 after a huge transformation. The centre is surrounded by beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, known for its rolling hills, lush green landscapes and scenic beauty.
Explore Newby Wiske Hall
Perthshire – Dalguise
Dalguise activity centre is set in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. Nestled in a beautiful wooded valley, just five miles north of Dunkeld.
Explore DalguiseYou’re in safe hands with PGL
No risk is an acceptable level of risk, which is why we go beyond to ensure every young person is always in safe hands.
Everything we do is built on five protective pillars:

Safe People
All our staff are rigorously selected for their capabilities, DBS checked. fully trained and continually assessed to ensure they meet the highest safety standards possible.

Safe Places
Our sites and buildings are managed to reduce all possible risk before any child arrives. including segmented accommodation, secure perimeters and stringent equipment standards.

Safe Spaces
Every child is different so to make our environments as encompassing as possible every colleague is SEND trained. we offer language inclusivity and offer over-and above access for all We also operate a zero-tolerance policy on illegal practices.

Safeguarding
Trained to act as ‘first-responders’ to safeguarding red flags, PGL colleagues are versed in spotting risks (across mental health. self-harm sexual and physical wellbeing) and acting quickly to escalate any concerns or stop harmful behaviour.

Safe Travels
Every travel partner with whom we work is vetted to ensure they have strict safety management systems in place. specifically focused on travelling with young people. We also aim to ensure travel provision is adaptable to the needs of every single child.

Safe People
All our staff are rigorously selected for their capabilities, DBS checked. fully trained and continually assessed to ensure they meet the highest safety standards possible.
Safe Places
Our sites and buildings are managed to reduce all possible risk before any child arrives. including segmented accommodation, secure perimeters and stringent equipment standards.

Safe Spaces
Every child is different so to make our environments as encompassing as possible every colleague is SEND trained. we offer language inclusivity and offer over-and above access for all We also operate a zero-tolerance policy on illegal practices.

Safeguarding Trained to act as ‘first-responders’ to safeguarding red flags, PGL colleagues are versed in spotting risks (across mental health. self-harm sexual and physical wellbeing) and acting quickly to escalate any concerns or stop harmful behaviour.
Safe Travels
Every travel partner with whom we work is vetted to ensure they have strict safety management systems in place. specifically focused on travelling with young people. We also aim to ensure travel provision is adaptable to the needs of every single child.
FAQ
What kind of groups do you cater for?
At Ford Castle, we cater for a range of different groups, including:
What’s included in the cost of the PGL trip?
Everything your school or group needs is included in the cost of the camp at Ford Castle, with accommodation, activities, equipment, food and drinks all covered in the price per person!
What happens in the evenings?
The fun doesn’t stop after the day’s activities! After dinner, our evening entertainment programme will keep your class or group amused until it’s time for bed. We’ve got discos, campfires, quizzes and loads more! We want to create a schedule perfect for your group, so if you have anything in particular then just let us know and we’ll do our best to plan it into your group’s itinerary!
What should I pack for my child's overnight stay?
Here are a few things that we recommend you pack for your child’s visit to the Medieval Ford Castle:
- Tops/t-shirts (for daily adventure activities)
- Trousers/leggings (for daily adventure activities)
- Evening clothes (for discos, quizzes, evening games and more)
- Towels
- Toiletries
Does my child need waterproofs for their residential trip?
Yes, it’s always important to pack some waterproofs just in case it begins to rain. No matter the weather, your child will most likely be outdoors taking part in our adventurous activities. We don’t stop for rain! So, bringing waterproof clothing is great for keeping dry.
Does my child need to bring money?
Your child doesn’t need to bring money, but they can if they wish to buy a souvenir from the on-site gift shop. We have lots of PGL goodies to choose from including caps, mugs, pens, teddy bears, t-shirts and more! We even have a uniformed group badge to let everyone know that your child has visited PGL with their unit.
Can I contact my child during their camp stay?
Yes, you can. If your child is taking their mobile phone, they can contact you during their free time (highlighted in our Mobile Phone Policy). But if they’re not bringing a phone to Ford Castle, then they can always let a member of the PGL team know that they’d like to contact home and they’ll get that organised. You can also get in contact with your child if needed, by calling our Ford Castle centre or through contacts provided by your child’s group leader.
Do you cater for special dietary requirements?
Yes, we can cater for many dietary requirements. When you book, let us know about any dietary requirements your child may have or anyone in your group, and we’ll make sure that they’re catered for. We can support diets for religious, cultural or medical reasons. We regularly provide meals for coeliacs, diabetics, guests with food allergies and vegetarians/vegans.
What safety measures are in place at Ford Castle?
We have a huge emphasis on safety, starting with the recruitment of our staff and continuing through to all of our activities. As a founder member of BAPA (British Activity Providers Association) and a licence holder for activities in scope of AALA (Adventure Activities Licencing Authority) regulations, we make safety our priority.
A risk assessment has also been carried out at Ford Castle, with risks being outlined and managed. The risk assessment covers the grounds of Ford Castle, as well as all of the activities available at the centre.
Our Activity Instructors are experts in their area, trained and assessed both in-house and by external assessors. They’ll be there during every activity to make sure they’re completed safely and correctly.
New staff complete a comprehensive induction and job specific training followed by regular observations, feedback, reviews and assessments.